The available range of vegan bread spreads and luncheons is still fairly small here in Aotearoa New Zealand. I guess this has cultural reasons, since I have never eaten as much as sausage as growing up in Germany

If the vegan bread spread or luncheon should be gluten-free as well, things can get a little tricky. So I decided to try my own version. The result was amazing! It’s so easy to make and has a lovely flavour. Just like with the meat based sausage, in the end it is mostly the herbs and spices that make the dish.

And there are so many flavour possibilities:

• Pizza flavour with basil and oregano
• Nice and spicy with chili and paprika
• Smoky with either liquid smoke or smoked paprika
• Mushroom – with mushroom powder and parsley
• …and more

This vegan luncheon recipe is very easy to make. Only the soaking of the sunflower seeds takes some time. For the gelling I use the vegan alternative agar agar powder. Additionally I use some guar gum to make it bind better. It also works without the gum though.

For the forms I use a simple drinking glass which I gently heat up with some hot water before filling it with the hot mixture. Of course you can use all sorts of suitable, heat-proof containers and forms.

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Super Easy Luncheon with Sunflower Seeds (Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free)

Sunflower seeds are so amazingly versatile! This savoury vegan luncheon is another proof. This recipe is not only vegan and gluten-free but also without soy and without nuts.

Cuisine Deutsch

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword gluten-free, Luncheon, nut-free, soy-free, Sunflower Sead, vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Soaking time 4 hours hours

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients

• 50 g sunflower seeds (soak in water for approx. 4 hours, then rinse and drain)
• 200 ml water
• 1 1/2 tsp agar agar powder
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 tsp guar gum
• 1/4 tsp chili (or to taste)
• 1 garlic clove

Instructions

• After soaking the sunflower seds, rinse and drain them thoroughly. Then place them in a powerful blender together with the remaining ingredients. Then blend until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a small pot and bring gently to the boil.
• Let the mixture simmer on low heat for a few minutes while stirring constantly.
• Fill the mixture into a heat-proof form and let cool down a little. Then store in the fridge until set. Enjoy

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Once again I used one of my favourite meat alternatives: sunflower seeds. They are so versatile and can be used in all sorts of vegan dishes – sweet and savoury. This time I added some kidney beans. This helps to add some further plant-based protein to the meal. The sunflower seeds and kidney beans combined add up to 40g of protein, which is about 10g per portion.

And the texture? Super deilious and almost a bit scary, because it reminds me of the meat version. The classic way to prpare these balls is boiling. I have used a different method by baking them instead. This allows for a better texture.

In the sauce I used the classic ingredient capers and bay leaves. And thaks to the chsews (or amcadamias or blanched almonds) it has alovely creamy texture, without any dairy products.

As always, this recipe for Konigsberger Klopse (German Meatballs) is vegan, gluten-free and also oil-free. It goes very well with boiled potatoes or rice.

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No-Meat Konigsberger Klopse – German Meatballs (Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free)

Savoury dishes like these German Konigsberger Klopse, also called boiled meatballs, are easily made vegan, completely without meat. Makes approx. 15 to 20 balls.

Course Hauptgericht

Cuisine Deutsch

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Soaking time 8 hours hours

Servings 4 Portions

Ingredients

• 150 g sunflower seeds (soak in water for approx. 4 hours, then rinse and drain)
• 200 g kidney beans, cooked
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 3 tbsp psyllium fiber husk
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-2 pinches chili (or to taste)
• approx. 10 drops liquid smoke

For the sauce:

• 30 g cashews (alternatively macadamias or blanched almonds)
• 350 ml to 450ml water (depending on the desired consistency)
• 1 Tbsp rice flour heaped
• 1/4 Tbsp onion powder
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 pinch allspice, ground
• Fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp capers

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (top-/bottom heat). After soaking the sunflower seeds, rinse and drain them.
• Add sunflower seeds and kidney beans to a bowl and blend with a stick blender until it is fairly crumbly.
• Add the remaining ingredients and let rest for a few minutes.
• Form the no meat balls with wet hands and spread them on the baking tray. Bake for approx. 20 to 30 minutes and flip them in between.
• For the sauce blend cashews, water and rice flour in a blender until creamy. Pour the mixture with the other ingredients (expect the capers) into a pot and bring to the boil. Let it simmer until it thickens up a bit.
• Add capers at the end. If needed add a little more water. Enjoy

Logan MacLean in Waipū and ate their amazing Beyond Burger. Tanya, the owner of the cafe, is vegan herself and has a huge vegan menu to offer.

So, with burgers in my mind, I decided to try a new recipes. It worked out so well that I have to share the recipe with you 

The main ingredients are sunflower seeds and mushrooms. With a hearty mix of spices it creates a flavoursome burger patty that also has quite a firm texture. That also makes it suitable for the bbq.

The recipe is vegan, gluten-free and doesn’t require oil. For the burger buns I used my recipe for bread rolls without yeast. Instead of dusting them with flour, I brushed them with plant milk. A perfect combo 

Makes approx. 6 to 8 mushroom burgers:

• 100g sunflower seeds (soak in water for approx. 4 hours, then rinse and drain)
• 200g mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1-2 pinches ground chili
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 50g chickpea flour
• 50g rice flour (or other gluten-free flour)
• 2 tbsp psyllium fiber husk

Method mushroom burgers:

1. After rinsing the sunflower seeds, let them drain thoroughly in a sieve.

2. In the meantime mix the chopped mushrooms with salt in a bowl. Let soak until the mushrooms have shrunk noticeably and have become watery (approx. 30 minutes).

3. Now ad the sunflower seeds to the mushroom and blend them roughly with a stick blender. Add the spices and mix roughly.

4. Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine and let rest for a few more minutes.

5. Form burger patties with wet hands and cook them either from both sides in a frying pan on low heat. Or bake them in the oven at 190°C for approx. 25 minutes (flip them in
between).

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Goulash without meat? No problem! These days there so many meat alternatives. When I heard about Jackfruit for the first time, I was really impressed. The texture is surprisingly similar and offers so many possibilities, to create something yummy with it.

Makes 4 small or 2 big portions:

• 1 can jackfruit
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 400 to 500ml water
• 1 red pepper, cubed
• 1 green pepper, cubed
• 2 tbsp ground paprika
• 1 tbsp ground smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp gluten-free flour
• 1 tsp sweetener of your choice
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 pinch chili (or to taste)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Method:

1. Fry the onions in some water or oil in a medium sized pot. Add carrots and water and let simmer with closed lid for approx. 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Rinse the jackfruit and press out excess liquid. Then pluck it into smaller pieces.

3. Add the jackfruit and all remaining ingredients (except the garlic) to the pot. Stir well and let simmer for another 10 minutes.

4. At the end add the garlic and bring to the boil one last time.

Note: The goulash tastes best if you let it cool down and soak over night. This way the flavour will spread nicely. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 165g quinoa
• 375ml water
• 170g grated beetroot, raw
• 1 tbsp psyllium fiber
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp coconut sugar
• salt to taste

Instructions:

1. First wash the quinoa, rinse and drain. Place in a pot with the water and bring to the boil. Let simmer on low heat until the water is gone (approx. 15 minutes).
2. Preheat oven to 180°C (top-/bottom heat). Mash the cooked quinoa with a potato masher. Add grated beetroot, psyllium fiber, herbs and spices. Stir to combine.
3. Form small balls with wet, cold hands. Place on lined baking tray. Bake for appprox. 15 minutes before flipping them over. Then bake for another 10 minutes. Serve with pasta sauce.
Enjoy!
Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Makes approx. 18 balls (depending on size):

For the balls:
1/2 cup (100g) whole buckwheat groats
1 cup (250ml) water
100g grated beetroot (raw)
1-2 pinches salt
1/2 teaspoon of each:
– ground coriander
– ground allspice
– thyme
– marjoram
– oregano
2 tablespoon tahini (or any other nut or seed butter)
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
10 drops liquid smoke (alternatively 1/3 teaspoon smoked paprika)
1 tablespoon psyllium fiber husk
1 to 2 tablespoon rice flour
1 to garlic cloves, minced
For the sauce:
1 small onion, finely diced
some cooking oil or a 1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano and/or thyme
500ml passata
salt to taste
additional water as desired
Note: Of course you can add heaps of veges to this sauce if you like

Instructions:

1. Wash the buckwheat groats in a sieve and drain. Place in small pot, cover with water and cook on medium heat until it starts boiling. Simmer on low heat with closed lid until water has evaporated.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C (top/-bottom heat). Transfer cooked buckwheat to a bowl. Mash with a potato masher.
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. A wooden spoon works well for this step.
4. Form small buckwheat balls and place on a lined baking tray.
5. Bake in the oven for approx. 15 minutes before turning the balls over and baking them for another approx. 15 minutes.
6. In the meantime saute the onions in a frying pan. Sprinkle with ground paprika and dried herbs and stir well.
7. Add about half of the passata, stir and let cook for a while until it thickens up. The add the remaining passata, rinsing the bottle with some water and adding it to the pan as well.
8. Add salt to taste and if it is too thick for your taste, add as much water as needed.
9. Once the no meat balls are ready, gently add them to the sauce and serve. Tastes great with pasta or rice
Enjoy!
Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

 

You can use beans in stir-fries, home-made spread, soups and stews and many other vegan dishes. But every now and then I like them as a taco filling

Just lately I’ve been experimenting with fruity additions like persimmon in my stir-frys. It was amazing! So I tried it in my favourite bean taco filling. It goes very well with the chilli! If you don’t have persimmons you could also use mango or peaches.

I have used dried beans, which I first soaked in water over night and then cooked. To have a little stash of cooked beans at hand you can always cook up a big batch and freeze it in portions. Just defrost them or rinse in a sieve with warm water when you need them

Makes filling for approx. 12 tacos:

3/4 cup dried beans (160g), soak them overnight and cook them until soft
(makes 2 cups (350g) of cooked beans)

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil or 2 tablespoon water for oil-free option

1 capsicum, finely chopped
1 persimmon, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup passata
chilli to taste
salt to taste

1 tablespoon freshly ground flax seed

Lettuce, tomato and other ingredients for additional taco filling.

Preparation:

1. Heat olive oil or water in frying pan. Add chopped onion and cook until golden brown.

2. Add chopped capsicum and persimmon and cook until tender.

3. Add passata, chilli, salt and beans and simmer for a few minutes.

4. Just before serving, mash the beans roughly with a potato masher. Then stir in the freshly ground flax seeds to bind the mixture.

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

A Versatile Vegan & Gluten-Free Bolognese That’s Tomato-Free

This time I wanted to add a few more extras. The sauce is not only vegan and gluten-free, but also free from soy, nuts, seeds, legumes, and tomatoes. Don’t worry though – it’s still packed with flavour

Please note: This recipe is low-fat, meaning no oil is used.
If you are interested in cooking with less oil, I highly recommend investing in a high-quality, non-toxic non-stick frying pan.

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Meat-Free Bolognese Sauce – Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Tomato

I really love pasta, and this Bolognese-style sauce is one of my favourites when I want something rich in flavour but still light on the stomach. Completely free from meat, gluten, soy, nuts and even tomato, this sauce relies on mushrooms, peppers and a good mix of herbs to create a satisfying texture and taste. It’s oil-free, easy to prepare, and perfect with your favourite pasta or side dish.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Bolognese, Mushrooms, oil-free, Plant-Based Sauce, Red Pepper, Tomato-Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 2 generous portions

Author The Vegan Monster

Equipment

• non-stick frying pan for oil-free cookingKnife
• Cutting board
• stick-blender or immersion blender
• Measuring spoons & cups

Ingredients

• 250 g mushrooms cut in small quarters
• 2 sweet red peppers diced
• 1/2 onion finely diced
• 1-2 garlic cloves minced
• 1-2 tablespoon ground sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon rice flour
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 375 ml water

Instructions

• In a good non-stick frying pan, heat one tablespoon of water and cook/roast the onions until golden brown. Then add mushrooms and cook while stirring almost constantly until they are much smaller and juicy (approx. 15 minutes).
• Add diced paprika and let cook for another 10 minutes, or until slightly soft.
• Sprinkle with ground paprika and rice flour and stir well. Add 1 1/2 cup water and stir once more. Bring to the boil.
• Add garlic, oregano, basil and salt & pepper to taste. Using a stick blender, roughly blend it until is forms a chunky sauce. Serve with pasta or side dish of your choice

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

But I felt like creating a sauce that is not only vegan and gluten-free but also free from soy and nuts. Since I am a huge fan of sunflower seeds, I had to try a sauce with those. And yes, they make a beautiful base!

This sauce is rich and flavourful, with just the right amount of herbs and spices. Feel free to add heaps of other vegetables (egg plant, zucchini, capsicum, you name it)

Please note: there is a bit of soaking involved in order to make this recipe. Please make sure you plan in the additional time.

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No-Meat Sunflower Seed Bolognese Sauce (Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Nut-free)

This sauce is rich and flavourful, with just the right amount of herbs and spices. Feel free to add heaps of other vegetables (egg plant, zucchini, capsicum, you name it)

Course Bolognese, Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Bolognese, No-Meat, nut-free, Sauce, soy-free, Sunflower Sead

Servings 4 portions

Ingredients

• 150 g sunflower seeds soak them in filtered water for at least 6 hours, then rinse and drain
• 10 sun-dried tomatoes (without oil soak in filtered water for at least 3 hours, the drain
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil or 2 (instead of 1) tablespoon water for oil-free option
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1-2 carrots finely chopped
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano and/or dried basil & thyme
• 1-2 garlic cloves minced
• 2-3 teaspoon ground paprika
• 700 ml (approx.) bottle passata (pureed tomatoes)

Instructions

• Heat a medium sized pan with coconut oil or water. Cook the diced onion until golden brown. Then add carrots and cook for another 5 minutes.
• In a blender or food processor, pulse the sunflower seeds to crumbles. Add to the frying pan.
• Then chop or pulse the soaked sun-dried tomatoes and add to the frying pan. Sprinkle with dried oregano and stir through well.
• When it has cooked for a few minutes, add minced garlic and ground paprika. Stir well and then pour in passata. Rinse the passata bottle with a little water and add to the frying pan. Bring to the boil. Done

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Well, in my pantry this happens particularly to lentils. Somehow I have a love hate relationship with them. Once they are cooked though, I love them!

So I’ve motivated myself to use those forgotten ingredients again. And this is what happened as a result! A no-meat ball that is absolutely delicious! I haven’t tested them on my favourite omnivores yet but I will let you know what they said about them

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No-Meat Ball & Tomato Sauce (Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Nut-free, Oil-free Option)

Well, in my pantry this happens particularly to lentils. Somehow I have a love hate relationship with them. Once they are cooked though, I love them! So I’ve motivated myself to use those forgotten ingredients again. And this is what happened as a result! A vegan and gluten-free no-meat ball that is absolutely delicious! I haven’t tested them on my favourite omnivores yet but I will let you know what they said about them

Course Main

Cuisine German

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Balls, Lentils, Meat-free, No-Meat, oil-free, soy-free, Tomato

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

For the no-meat balls:

• 150 g brown lentils (soak them for at least 12 hours and the cook and drain them)
• 1/2 onion diced
• 45 g buckwheat flour
• 2 tablespoon tahini
• 1 tablespoon fiber husk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

For the sauce:

• 375 ml passata (pureed tomato)
• 1/2 onion diced
• 2 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt & pepper to taste
• 375 ml water
• some cooking oil I prefer coconut oil or water, if you want to go for the oil-free version

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 190°C. For the meatballs, mash the cooked and rinsed lentils in a medium sized bowl or pot. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Line the baking tray with baking paper. Form the no-meat balls with your clean hands and place on the baking tray.
• Bake for approx. 10-15 minutes, then flip and bake another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and relatively firm.
• While the balls are baking, heat the coconut oil in a medium sized frying pan and cook the diced onion until golden brown. If you don’t want to sue oil, cook the onion in a few tablespoon water until tender.
• Add paprika powder and mix well. Then quickly stir in the passata and cook for about 15 minutes, until is has thickened up considerably.
• Add the remaining spices and the water and mix well. Bring to boil again and let simmer for a few more minutes.
• When the balls are finished, add them to the sauce and gently cover them with it, don’t let them cook in the sauce. Serve with some freshly chopped herbs like oregano or basil

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.